Lean Warehousing Best Practices: How FlexSim Can Help

LeanCor Supply Chain Group, a thought leader in lean logistics and supply chain, recently released a list of best practices in lean warehousing. In the article, they assert that “lean warehousing is necessary and plays a critical role and must be integrated into the entire supply chain.” Let’s take a look at three of these important best practices and show how simulation with FlexSim can help make them possible:

Have a balanced personnel ratio target allowing flexibility to ramp up and down based on production demands.

FlexSim allows modelers to have teams of personal that can work a specified area or flex to another area based on rules in the model, or a real-time interface in the model that the modeler can change at any time. This allows companies to balance personnel based on work schedules, worker no shows, and seasonal demand.

Know asset requirements in terms of facilities, infrastructure, and equipment. Leverage this information to ensure optimal uptime and asset utilization.

Simulation modeling provides the power and flexibility to adjust the resource reliability parameters (scheduled downtime and un-scheduled downtime) to understand what effect these parameters have on production and asset utilization.

Focus on flow and speed as opposed to storage and stop-and-go strategies.

The way personnel and resources are used can be changed in FlexSim based on a given scenario. Using the option to compare scenarios allows modelers to make decisions based on the best information available, placing the focus on flow and speed rather than other competing options.

A flexible, accurate simulation model using FlexSim is the perfect complement to your lean warehouse. We can show you how with a free live web demonstration – call us at (801) 224-6914 to get started today.

Bill is the Founder, President, and CEO of FlexSim Software Products, Inc. He has spent 27 years in and around the simulation modeling industry, co-founded and served as Vice President of ProModel Corporation, and introduced three different simulation engines (Taylor II, Taylor ED, and FlexSim) to the software market. Bill holds a BS in Manufacturing Engineering Technology and an MS in Computer Integrated Manufacturing from Brigham Young University. Check out some of the articles Bill has appeared in through AD&P, Quality Magazine, and Digital Engineering.